AURON
by Aaiiry
Summary: Auron is not a very sociable person, but, is it possible for him to have a soft spot for a child? Sorry for not updating this in... forever... -
1. Stop

A/N everyone reading this: I need you to review this, and answer me these questions so I may improve my story.

Does it go too fast?

Too slow?

Too descriptive?

Too vague?

And then put any comments you may have. Please and thank you!! To enhance your fanfiction experience, 

A.U.R.O.N

"Don't turn away..." A woman in shadows stepped forward to the back of a man standing in front of her. He turned around madly as she spoke. "Don't give into the pain..." The man stepped back, hurling a wicker chair in the lady's path. His breath seemed non-existent.

"... Stay with me... No... stay away.." He said, not above a whisper. His voice was torn.

"Don't try to hide, although they're screaming your name..." The woman leaned down, emerging from the shadows she was hiding in. She had a roman-esque toga on, and her hair was long and green, and slightly wavy. She had earrings on that were blood red and arrow shaped. She slid the chair away from her path, and touched the man's face gently. He flinched from her touch, his peppered hair waving in wind coming from nowhere. His eyes shut tight. He stammered out his warning again.

"Go... go away..."

"Don't close your eyes... God knows what lies behind them.." The room went dark. "Don't turn out the light... Never sleep, Never die..."

~*~

Auron snapped open his eyes, and sat up in his bed at the Inn the group was at tonight. He started to scratch his elbow, and glanced at Tidus. He had complained to Wakka that the beds were 'itchy' when they all went to sleep. He then glanced to Wakka, who was still gripping his blitzball while he slept. Idiot. He let out an audible chuckle to that thought. Throwing off his covers and taking a walk seemed like a good idea to him, so, he did so. He stepped out onto Luca's streets. 

Wakka and Tidus were here for a quick Blitzball tournament for a weapon Wakka just had to have, something called the World Champion. He also needed a prize from the tourney for a Jupiter crest, or sigil, to activate the weapon and remove an ability, and so Rikku could customize it. Yuna was also excited, because it would allow one of her aeons to break a damage limit to fiends. Well, as long as it helped, Auron went with it.

He started out toward the docks, in the pouring rain. The only thing besides the rain that could be heard was his footsteps, and an echo of someone else's in the stadium nearby. He igrored it and kept walking. He slipped in a puddle of water. A wicker chair was laying in the street. He ignored this too, and picked himself up and kept walking. More footsteps were behind him. He, not surprisingly, ignored this too.

"Wait!" A familiar voice squeaked. There were three extra footsteps while they were close, and one was a large staff hitting ground. "Why are you out in the rain, Auron??" He turned around, studying the two with his good eye. It was Yuna and Rikku.

"What are you two doing in the rain?" He said, returning the question. He didn't know why he was in the rain.

"Well, Sir Auron.. you woke us up when you left." 

"Yunie's right." Rikku nodded.

"Well, I was just taking a walk, so.." Auron was ready to say anything to get them to leave.

"Well, we'll walk with you!" Rikku smiled. They walked for a few minutes in silence.

"What time is it?" Auron looked down to Rikku. He knew she had a watch.

"It's about 3AM." The footsteps, and loud echoes were heard from the stadium again. "What was that?"

"It's in the stadium. Should we go check?" Yuna turned to Rikku, then to Auron. "Someone might be hurt."

"Yes." Auron said, then headed down a maintenance tunnel. Yuna and Rikku followed.

~*~

"You'll never... never curse anyone again..." A middle aged man held a knife high above his head, ready to bring it down on a small body, laying on the ground. "I've chased you this far..."

"Chased... C.H.A.S.E.D.."

"Stop... stop that!!"

"Cursed. C.U.R.S.E.D." The small girl looked at the man with cheerless eyes. "Sorry. S.O.R.R.Y."

"You're not sorry." His gray eyes were expressionless. "You've never been sorry." The child's eyes glowed dangerously. 

"S.O.R.R.Y." She said, as heartrending as she could possibly sound. The man then brought down the knife, she swatted his hand away, knocking the knife to the ground. 

"Death... For you..." The man snarled, going to plan two. Smother her. 

"Stop. **_S.T.O.P_**," She choked out. A magic circle in a clock shape appeared on the man, and stop was cast on him, and he was flung away, by a strange force. The child's eyes closed heavily. Auron, Yuna, and Rikku stepped into the bottom of the stadium. Yuna and Rikku instantly ran to the young girl. 

"She looks hurt, Yunie. Can you heal her?" Rikku looked at Yuna with a pained face. 

"Maybe. I... hate to say it...but she may be to far..." Yuna had the same pained look.

"No. She's not." Auron walked past them, and to the man. "He's been stopped."

"Yeah." Rikku looked curiously at the man. "How do we fix him?" Auron walked past him, and picked up the girl. 

"We don't."

Afternotes: I'm sorry if this really did go to fast, and I know it's really short, but, I like to put a little something up before I start writing long chapters... people tend not to review for me. *stands in corner, sobbing* Why?! Am I not likable???!! *composes self* Okay. I'm fine. I would like you to go find the review in the sub-menu and click go, right now. *waves* G'bye.


	2. Emma

A/N: Heh.. I didn't think people read stories after they went second page! Thanks for all the nice reviews! And to clear things up... *Gets out infamous clipboard, brings up reviews*

Sakura: There is a reason she talks like that. It's a characteristic side effect brought on when you babble on about your characters while doing nothing. That, and it serves a purpose later on.

Saranomy: Well, I don't know if I was going for confusing, I just didn't want any of you to know what was going on. ^_^ So I guess that worked out well.

cool-kitsune: Auri-pie knows I'm fricking terrified of his sword, so, that's a good way to get me to update.

Okay! No more questions? Well the, lets get this show on the road!

A.U.R.O.N 

Back at the hotel, Auron had the small girl on his bed, sitting in a chair just off to the side. By now, it was already 5AM, so, everyone was up and ready to go. 

"So, Auron..." Lulu leaned down to him, her braids cascading over her shoulders. "Who is it?"

Auron looked up from the girl. "We'll know when Yuna heals her." He stood up turning to Yuna. "We've waited long enough."

"Yes." She nodded, rod in hand. "I'll try." She brought her staff up parallel with her body, and spread her arms in an outburst of magic. Curaga was cast. 

"Did it work?" Wakka and Tidus leaned forward, both asking the same question. The small girl twitched, and started to open her eyes. Her eyes were bright blue, and her hair was short and feathered, a light aqua color to it. She glanced sleepily at the summoner and her guardians.

"Where am I?" She pulled the covers off of her, and swung her feet over the side of the bed. "Who are you?"

Rikku was the first to speak. "I'm Rikku!" 

"R... Rikku." She little girl's face lit up. "R.I.K.K.U." Rikku's expression matched the child's innocent one, and she pointed around the room, introducing everyone.

"Wakka." She pointed to Wakka, and then to his blitzball. "That's a blitzball."

"B.L.I.T.Z.B.A.L.L. W.A.K.K.A. It has two K's, just like yours Rikku!" The girl giggled.

"Yep! And this is Tidus, Yuna," Rikku leaned down to the child. "You can call her Yunie," continuing, she said, "Lulu, Kimarhi.."

"T.I.D.U.S., Y.U.N.A., L.U.L.U, K.I.M.A.R.H.I..." The girl repeated in letters.

"And Auron." She pointed to the man in the red coat.

"Auron. A.U.R.O.N." The girl hopped off the bed, and walked shakily to the Legendary Guardian. "Thank you." Auron placed his hand on her shoulder. 

"You're welcome." Auron hoisted the girl back up on the bed, and started to question her. "Okay," He started, "Let's begin with your name." 

"Mine?" Her face was blank. "I don't have one."

Rikku walked up to the little girl, her voice heartrendingly soft. "Why not?"

"Because I don't."

"Well, we can at least take you to your parents. Where do they live?" 

"What are parents?" The child's face was again blank.

This time, Yuna stepped up to explain the simplest little things. "The people who took care of you when you were little?" She laid a hand on her shoulder. "Do you remember people like that?"

"Are there two?" She looked at Yuna naively.

"Yes. Of Course." Yuna nodded vigorously, thinking she had finally figured it out.

"There were two people..." She started. Everyone leaned in, waiting to hear her answer, except Auron. "They were at an altar, praying to it, and I was on it." She started to hop on the bed. "Are they my parents?!" Everybody sighed.

Tidus lifted the girl off the bed, and onto his shoulders. "No, sound like you got lost in a temple." He turned to the rest of the party. "We can keep her, right?" He gave a puppy dog-esque expression, and catching on quickly, she copied it.

"All right, all right!!" Wakka sighed. "Eh, that's just sad. They match, and they're sickeningly cute, ya?"

"Looks like you get to stay!" Rikku squealed. "Well, we should give you a name so we have somethin' to call you!" She grinned sincerely at the girl. "What do you think?"

The girl contemplated seriously over her decision. Beaming, she shrieked, "I like Emma!"

Rikku matched her tone. "Me too!" She hugged Emma while she was still sitting with Tidus. "Ooh, This is gonna be fun!"

------

Alrighty, Two things. seems I'm gonna pull a whole bunch of all-nighters finishin' this, and I like cliffhangers, no matter how cheezily stopped. So, I bid you adieu, and I pray thee to go to ye olde drop down selection box, select Review, and click Go. Or you could double click. Whatever floats yer' boat.


	3. Crash

A/N: Ooooh! I'm so glad you all liked Emma! *stares blankly* Would you have still liked her if I had still named her Enma? O.o Oh well. There's only one good typo per lifetime... and on a side note to the plot of this chapter... I'm goin' on my own experience with the Goddamn Airship(Yes, that's what I call it.), and this chapter's actually going to two places! OoOoOoOoOoOoOoh! This also means the story might pick up soon! Okay! One more thing before we start... 

Krissi: Okay. I really, actually think the story does go to fast, but that's mainly because I skim though my stories faster than Devil naked in Greenland. Also, Emma is far, far from normal. This becomes apparent in this chapter. Otherwise, thanks for the constructive criticism! Oh, and for that crying face, try this! ;_; That good? 

Era Yachi: I don't know why you didn't think of it. But I beat ya to it. Heh! Thanks for liking little Emma's originality!

P.S!! Wonder why no one asked about the title (Well, someone mentioned it, but didn't ASK... )? Fanfiction.net kinda messed it up by taking out my periods, so the actual title is:

A.U.R.O.N

"Emma, this is our Airship." Tidus announced proudly as he let the little girl slide off his shoulders. "It's Rikku's father's."

"Wow, Rikku! Is this your house, you guys!? It's so much bigger than where I used to live!!" She ran to Auron. "Do you live here too!?" Her childish smile and Rikku-ish manner made him smile slightly, and he knelt down to her height. He looked startled for a moment; he could have sworn she was shorter.

"We don't live here; this is like.. well, a boat. A big flying boat."

Her eyes were confused and innocent again. "A... boat?"

"Yes." He picked her up, and started off toward the door. Rikku walked forward. "Where are you go-"

"I'm just going to ask her a few simple questions. Nothing too hard." He turned his head to Emma. "That okay with you?"

"Sure."

In a few minutes, they were sitting in the privacy of the top deck, and with Auron watching Emma like a hawk so she didn't fall.

"Emma, who was that man in the stadium last night?"

"I don't know." Emma repiled, her voice quiet and distrustful.

"Yes you do."

"S." Emma stared at Auron, she looked agitated at the same time. 

"What?"

"T."

"Emma, what are you saying?" Auron's voice was authoritive 

"O."

"Silence!" Yuna ran on deck, with Rikku close behind. Yuna cast silence on the child. "Now Emma, please answer Auron's question. Who was that ma-" The deck rocked. "What was that?!"

"We may be under attack."

"By what?! We're the only ships out here!" Rikkushrieked. "We're too high to be hit by land weapons, and we're nowhere near Sin!"

"Anything could be happening. Engine trouble, or maybe a bird got caught in something. we just need to get Emma inside." Auron said, grabbing her hand, while the airship started a nosedive.

~*~

"Everybody, hold on to somethin'!" Cid yelled, trying desperately to pull the ship up. Despite, the ship still crashed in an unknown forest. the ship smoldered while everybody piled out.

Wakka stepped out first. "Anybody hurt?" He shouted, making sure everybody heard him over the fire.

"We're okay." Rikku and Yuna chimed together. Tidus stood close to Yuna, helping her up.

"I'm okay too."

Lulu stood by Wakka's side, unhurt, save a small scratch on her arm.

"Kimarhi fine too." Spoke the quiet furry one, also hovering over Yuna.

"Good. That leaves Auron and that Emma girl, ya?" As soon as this was said, Auron stepped out of the conflagration, holding the girl. Rikku shreiked once again, and ran to them. 

"Aah! Are you two okay?! Auron!! You have another scratch on your face! Ohh! We don't have any-" She was interrupted by Auron, _almost_ laughing at her concern.

"I'm fine." 

"And Emma?"

"She went to sleep, surprisingly." He opened the arm of his coat, revealing Emma, being held by Auron's free arm. Rikku picked her up, and sat her by a tree. She seemed heavier than before.

~*~

Later that night, they had used some old pieces of twisted, smoldering metal from the airship to set a small campfire. By then, Emma was awake, and they salvaged what food they could from the ship, cooking it over the fire. Or the had Lulu cook it, but at the risk of being burned.

"So, then he says, 'That's a snake, ya?" Wakka burst out laughing, along with the others.

Tidus rubbed the tears from his eyes. "So," He said, still laughing, "He thought the 'snake' that 'poked' him was a twig?"

Wakka started to poke Tidus with a nearby stick. "Eh, It was a POISONOUS snake, and it BIT HIM!" He tossed the stick aside, waving his hands like a loon and 'Oohing' and 'Aahing' trying to scare Tidus. The girls stared blankly. Then they caught sight of Emma, tip-toeing up to Tidus. He bit his ankle.

"AAH! SNAKE!" Tidus jumped, and stomped in the general area, trying to kill the 'snake'. Emma ran, giggling in the trees. No one thought anything about it.

"Hahahhh!" Emma ran still into the forest, until she bumped into something. But it wasn't a tree. It was a man. "Auron!"

He picked her up, holding her under his coat once again. "Be quiet."

"Okay."

"Hey, old-timer. Did ya hear a kid around here? I'm looking for one, she's about fiveish, maybe about seven by now... You seen her?" A man appeared from behind a tree.

"Do I look like the type to have a kid?" Auron snapped. The man smiled.

"No, you don't, but you do have a kid." He laughed, and shook his head. "Give me the 'kid'..."

~*~To Be Continued~*~

A/N: Hee! I think I accomplished the 'cliffhanger'. That, and this is actually long. Are you all figuring out why Emma is so special? Heeee! I'll never tell! But, feel free to guess. I just may verify your answer if it's close. So, once again, I want you to go to limited too and burn- Oops... I mean, I want you to go to the sub menu, find review, and click go, and as I said before, you can double click. Bye! *Goes to shoot fireworks*


	4. Conflict

A/N: Aw! Still, you guys still are nice, after my oh-so-cheezy(once again) cliffhanger!! Sorry about this one thing though... I'm typing this SUPER fast, because I'm kinda-sorta grounded for not cleaning my room. It will be in play form until I get this typed correctly(Which will probably be before this is posted, but this comment will stand immortal for as long as this site stands). Ah, well, I type, and type I do... Ah, before I forget... A BINGO GOES TO THE LONE GUESS! Oh, and a last minute, heavy duty thank you to Sakura for that last review. I wasn't going to work on this tonight! 

*WHIM TYPING WARNING.... MAKING DIALOGUE UP ON FLY.... WHIM TYPING WARNING....*

*QUICK FINISH UP ON THE PLOT... 2 MORE CHAPTERS*

*I THINK*

A.U.R.O.N

The man circled Auron, acting like he was going to attack he slid his foot forwards in the dirt, ready for action. "Alright, old man... give me that kid. That's all I ask of you."

Auron held his coat close to his chest, trying to reassure Emma. She was trembling. "Why?"

"She will plague you and all who accompany you till the day you die, unless she dies first." The main stated, pointing directly at Auron's free arm.

"AHH!" Emma screamed, and fled from the safety of Auron's coat. "LEAAAVE ME ALOOOOOOONE! I AM NOT A 'DEMON', AS YOU SO SUGGESTED EARLIER, AND I AM NOT OUT TO KILL THEM!" She walked up to him, and kicked him in a bad place. "GIVE ME MY EARRING, YOU BIG--!" Her words fell quiet to the sound of her foot kicking the downed man. A small, red arrow fell from the man's hand. "HEE! My earring!" She squealed, running back to Auron. 

"Your.. earring?" 

"Yes." She nodded, and they both trotted back to the campsite.

Rikku waved at the two as they neared the dimming campfire. "Hey! Wakka was about to tell more campfire stories!" 

~*~

"So, what's the first one, Wakka?" Yuna leaned forward, trying to pull her marshmallow from the smoldering ash it was trapped in.

"It's called, The Legend of the 5-25 Woman!" Everyone stared blankly at him. Lulu sighed. 

"The 5-25 Woman? What is that?" 

"It's a scary story, ya?" He growled. "Eh, just let me tell it." He nodded to Lulu, and as if on cue, she doused out the fire, with everyone groaning about their now-wet marshmallows. He brought a small light to his face.

"Once, there was a wo- well, there was a girl... She seemed to age very quickly, and aged twenty years in 48 hours. She attacks the people who take pity upon her, and steals their youth." 

"Ooh.." Rikku shuddered. "What happens to the people?" 

"They grow old quickly too, ya? But, at a much quicker pace. They die in 5-25 hours, depending on their own age.." Rikku exhaled noisily. 

"I don't wanna get old.." Everyone sighed. 

"Then what happens?" Yuna looked at Wakka curiously.

"Well, the legend says, that the young girl will meet someone she can't take youth from. then, she will die herself." Auron stiffened. 

(Author's quick note: I've gone brain-dead, so, QUICK FIX! BWWRRR!)

"Auron?" Emma looked up at the old man with the peppered hair. "I'm sorry." 

"I know." He looked at her as the blood red earring in her hand. It was glowing. Auron stood to face the campfire. "Everyone, run. Get as far away from the fire as humanly possible." The area dimmed, and it was just a very adult looking Emma, and Auron, standing in what looked like a blitzball stadium..

~*~

God. I had NO IDEA I had not done an update to this is roughly three months. I'm so sorry to anyone that was waiting for this. I was kinda occupied with a Metal Gear story, and now I'm writing original fiction. PITY ME!! *cries and points to the reviewer thing*


	5. Besaid

Well, before I start, I'd like to say… oo Sorry. I'll make it good to make up.

---

_Fallen angels at my feet_

_Whispered voices in my ear_

_Death before my eyes_

_Lying next to me I fear_

_She beckons me shall I give in_

_Upon my end shall I begin?_

_Forsaking all I've fallen for_

_I rise to meet the end_

A.U.R.O.N

A sad laugh echoed through the stadium. Was it a simple coincidence that this happened to be the floor of the Luca stadium? No. It was the same place that Auron had met the small girl. She was only five then, and Auron had taken her on what he knew would be her last trip around Spira with one of her victims. She looked innocent enough, and even she knew what was going on. It was why she tried to get away by stopping Auron on the bridge. Why she stopped the last man who had taken pity on her…and the last man… and the man before that. It was a pitiably vicious cycle. She'd attach herself to the person who kindly kept watch over her, only to stop and attack them simply for their youth.

It was different now, from when Auron first saw the girl attacking the man. The ground was littered with feathers. Pure white… and it was littered with bodies, which were even whiter. He knew what they were for, and he knew it wasn't pretty. Emma looked at him from a perch above the floor, black feathers falling from behind her, peppering the white-coated ground. She smiled sadly at him, to match her sad laugh. She flapped the black wings behind her, and floated down to the ground.

_I know I can stop the pain, if I will it all away…_

"Don't turn away."

_God, please don't turn away from me._

The dark gray, almost black toga she wore cut a path through the now peppered with feathers ground, the smile on her face reassuring, knowing this would be the last run through. Auron looked at her solemnly, a calm look on his face. Despite the calmness, he started stepping backwards. Stumbling over himself…

"Don't give in to the pain…"

_What are you doing!? Please… please stop…_

"Don't try to hide, though they're screaming your name..."

It all fell together like puzzle pieces. The wicker chair was just there. Almost instinctively, Auron threw it in Emma's path, her eyes flashing with sadness as he followed the same pattern as the first man. He stumbled over one of the bodies on the ground, as Emma shifted the chair out of her path, and knelt down to Auron, a sad smile on her face, still. She touched his cheek, and he nearly jumped out of his skin, wind blowing his hair wildly around. The wind was stronger from what Emma remembered…

"Go away."

Emma pulled back. This was not happening. Even though his tone was firmer than she was worried about, it was still not wanted. He needed to cooperate, at least somewhat. His eyes shut tight, and she nearly slapped him. It wasn't right. It wasn't going right.

"Don't close your eyes… God knows what lies behind them…"

She leaned in close, a pang closing in on her. It was a secret, and should be told as one. She was careless the first time. Closing your eyes meant sleep. Sleep meant dying. With all of their fighting, there was a hole cut in the middle of the feathers… Emma brought one feather close to her, whispering.

"F.I.R.E."

It ignited, and she tossed it to the rest of them, all of them bursting into flame. It prevented the light from leaving the stadium.

"Don't turn out the light... never sleep, never die..."

If you don't sleep, you don't die... simple as that. She smiled at him, and backed away, fading into the flames that she cast around them. Before she left, however, she bent down, and kissed him lightly on the cheek.

"Thank you. T.H.A.N.K, Y.O.U."

She smiled, backing into the flames.

"For everything."

Auron's eyes snapped open, falling on an empty room. Everything must've gone right… it was just a dream. He pulled the sheet off of the bed, and stood up. They were all there, all asleep. It was so odd though… it was a house in Besaid…


End file.
